PDF All the Wild Hungers A Season of Cooking and Cancer Karen Babine 9781571313720 Books

Product details Paperback 184 pages Publisher Milkweed Editions (January 8, 2019) Language English ISBN-10 1571313729

All the Wild Hungers A Season of Cooking and Cancer Karen Babine 9781571313720 Books Reviews

• In lieu of posting a long-winded review extolling the virtues of Babine's second book, I'll keep this limited. ATWH is an important book, one that sneaks into your consciousness as you're reading it (or, at least, it has done this for me), and digs into a complex and emotional subject without falling into the traps of oversentimentality. This book is, in so many ways, a search for understanding regarding cancer--specifically, her mother's cancer--by exploring the world of cooking and drawing connections and metaphors and analogies to make sense of it all, which is, and I'm sure the author would agree even if it isn't stated directly, an exercise in futility. But in the process of Babine's questioning search, we're granted lyrical and understated writing--it's poetry without being heavy-handed; it's clear without being simple. An absolute must-read.
• For those of us who have experienced cancer first-hand, we know about the suffering and the inexpressible inability to eat. Babine offers us the perspective of those who must stand and watch, as their loved ones endure the long and painful struggles of the disease, and, in her case, as she tries to take care of her mother who suffers from a rare form of cancer. She tries to offer comfort by cooking food that she thinks will not only give her mother sustenance, but also some semblance of joy. In the process, food becomes a way for her to cope with her own sorrow in the face of this unbearable experience. This is a beautifully-written book about how a close-knit family comes together, and the way food becomes a refuge, an utterly moving expression of love. I read this nearly in one sitting; I couldn't put it down.
• Incredibly personal and moving. Quirky at just the right moments. The author makes you wish you could stand at her shoulder as she simmers a fresh batch of Parmesan broth. Not to learn the recipe for what is likely a phenomenally tasty potpourri — rather, to soak in her zeal for ‘being,’ Being present for her mother is only part of the story. This author is gifted at sharing and translating observations most people simply don’t make, let alone articulate so originally. The cabbage, the apple and the lemon. A perfect cover; read All the Wild Hungers to savor this trio and so much more.
• Every one of us is touched by cancer in our lifetime, whether it's a friend of family member, spouse, co-worker, or even ourselves, so we can all relate to All the Wild Hungers. Karen's story of her mother's illness and how love, family, and food feed their family's journey is powerful.
• This is one of the best books about cancer/dying I’ve read. Unlike many of the books dealing with life-threatening illnesses, this one is not stuffed with medical details, and the main focus is not on the person fighting off death, but on Babine’s struggles to care for her mother and keep herself together. It feels like she is sharing with us as friends, and the depth of her reflections is moving.
  
  In 64 crafted micro-essays, Babine talks about her mother’s cancer treatments and learning to cook with cast iron as she tries to make something that her mother can eat. A variety of ingredients are balanced in the book. There is the cancer and cooking, of course, but also Babine’s lyrical writing, the benefits and limitations of metaphors, humor, touching portrayals of her family, the historical view of the value of women to society, the color blue, ethical eating, the moral differences between agriculture and agribusiness, and insights into the culture of northern Minnesota.
  
  Babine writes about the strength of the human spirit, and about what we do when working harder will not solve the problem, when medicine may not solve the problem, and when almost everything we believe in falls apart and people we love are still suffering. Babine says we do not give up, but continue to do what we can. We cook, we gather together with our network of family and friends, and we hold on to hope. To not do what we can do is to abdicate our responsibilities. We may not be able to change the outcome of what is happening, but we can listen to the stillness between our fears and our hope, and we can take care of those who are on this journey.
  
  More grief books should be like this.
• I read this book in about two sittings and loved every chapter. I finished it while sitting in a restaurant and started crying. A lady walked up to me to ask if I was OK, and I explained that I had just finished this great book. She ordered her copy right after I told her about it. If you love cooking, eating, family, and more eating, this book is for you. It's a new version of "Eat, Pray, Love" for the upper Midwest!